Verizon Wireless To Sponsor *NSYNC 2001 POPODYSSEY Tour

Verizon Wireless To Sponsor ^*NSYNC 2001 POPODYSSEY Tour

Company Creates Photo Opportunity and Enter-to-Win Contest forFans,
Donates Tickets to Youth Organizations

July 9, 2001

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DENVER, CO

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Verizon Wireless, the nation's largest wireless provider, will bring a major attraction to Mile High stadium on Friday, July 13 as sponsor of the popular music sensation ^*NSYNC. The company has provided admission passes to special guests from three local organizations; Girl Scouts - Mile High Council, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado and the local chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The company is also conducting an enter-to-win ticket contest in Verizon Wireless retail locations.

"We're breaking the mold with this sponsorship," said Marni Walden, Mountain Region president for Verizon Wireless. "The ^*NSYNC 2001 POPODYSSEY Tour offers Verizon Wireless exciting opportunities to interact with youngsters and to offer some local youth an unforgettable experience. ^*NSYNC is active, energetic and has broad appeal to tech savvy young adults. We expect the tour will be a major event in every city it hits."

As a tour sponsor, Verizon Wireless will have a visible presence at each concert. In-venue promotions will include distinctive banners and Jumbotron messages. Concert goers are invited to stop by the Verizon Wireless booth and have a free digital picture taken with a cutout of the band. The photo will then be sent electronically to those photographed so they can e-mail it to friends and family.

Collectible cards will be given away at the concert. The card features a picture of the band on one side and an offer to receive a set of 3 Motorola phone wraps free with the purchase of a Motorola V120c phone and service activation at participating Verizon Wireless Communications Stores or Kiosks on the other side.

In Denver, promotions at the event will include a coupon offer of 2000 free weekend or evening minutes on qualifying calling plans.

"The youth market represents an exciting challenge for our business," said Walden. "We are excited about the opportunity to interact with young people, the fastest growing segment of our business, to show them how wireless communication fits into their lifestyle. "

"All of our stores along the Front Range are preparing for this event by offering store visitors an opportunity to win ^*NSYNC concert tickets or special edition posters of the band. Stop by any Verizon Wireless store or kiosk in the greater Denver area to enter," Walden said.

With products ranging from prepaid wireless service to phones that allow users to sign on to the world wide web, Verizon Wireless has a long list of products and services for the youth market. There is even a product that lets customers send and receive silent messages on their wireless phones. With Mobile Messenger,^sm customers can send and receive text messages in a meeting, at a party or at the movies.

The appearance in Denver is just one stop on the group's 38-city, 45-concert tour that kicked off May 23 in Jacksonville, Fl. The tour will conclude in August.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless is the largest wireless communications provider in the U.S. with more than 28 million wireless voice and data customers. The coast-to-coast wireless provider was formed by the combination of the U.S. wireless businesses of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD), including Bell Atlantic Mobile, AirTouch Cellular, GTE Wireless and PrimeCo Personal Communications. Verizon Wireless has a footprint covering more than 90 percent of the U.S. population, 49 of the top 50 and 97 of the top 100 U.S. markets. The company, headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, is 40,000 employees strong. Reporters and editors can find more information about the company on the Web at http://www.verizonwireless.com.